District Court Records

The
district court is the state trial court of general jurisdiction.
The district court has original jurisdiction for all
civil cases; all criminal felonies, such as homicides,
assaults, sex and drug offenses, forgery, arson, and
robbery; and misdemeanors in certain circumstances.
An important part of the district court caseload is
domestic relations cases, such as divorces, child custody
and support, adoption, and probate. District judges
have the power to issue extraordinary writs. Also, naturalizations were often handled by the courts. Beginning in 1896, the records for each county
were kept separately. There are now eight
judicial districts, but it is important to consult
the historical jurisdictional
chart to know the districts that counties fell
under in times past.

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission,
a statutory body affiliated with the National Archives
and Records Administration (NARA), supports a
wide range of activities to preserve, publish, and encourage
the use of documentary sources, created in every medium
ranging from quill pen to computer, relating to the history
of the United States.